Insulating compound for electric wires



' ter for the insulation of telegraph and other I such asnaphthaandilluminating-oils-heavier UNITED STATES RICHARD S. \YARING, O'F

ENTQF I PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATING COMPOUND Fo ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,046, dated November'7, 1882,

Application filed September 5, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD S. WARING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Insulating Compounds forElectriclWires, of which the following is a specification,referencebeing bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a composition ofmatelectrical wires; and myinvent-ion consists in utilizing the waste fluid products or residuum ofpetroleum,combined with, resins, gums, and natural or artificial bitumenor asphaltum, and with compus matter-such as clay, chalk, pulp, or lkematerial-which will readily combine with the fluid portion of thecompound, without impairing its efficiency as an insulating medium.

In distilling petroleum or other mineral oil, after taking off thedistillates of low gravitydistillates remain in the still, which arecapable of being divided into numerous other products by carry ing onthe process of distillation. Among these products which are carried overin the further distillation are some which remain fluid when cold, andothers which congoal or become hard when cold. The products abovereferred to, which are fluid when cold, are the ones we use in themanufacture of our insulating compound, and combine it with naturalasphaltum, pitch, rosin, or coal-tar pitch, or with the distillates ofpetroleum, which are solid when cold. I take of the fluid distillatesabove mentioned any desired quantity, and add thereto the rosin,asphaltum, pitch, or the solid residuum of petroleum in sufiicientquantity to make a somewhat thick mass. These are thoroughly mixed byheating or by mechanical means, so as to produce a homogeneous mass. Thecom pus matters-such as clay, chalk, pulp, or other suitable material-isadded until the composition is of the proper consistency to adhere toand form a body of substantial thickness on the Wire or cable to becoated. The clay, chalk, or other like mate- (No specimens.)

rial acts not only as an absorbentto take up the resinous elements ofthe distillates and bitumens and preventthem from making the compoundtacky or sticky, but they also act to retain the lighter or volatileportions of the'distillates or bitumen, and thus prevent the compoundwhen applied t'rom becoming dry and brittle. The wire, which has beenpreviously coated or covered with a cotton or other fibrous or textilematerial, when divested ot'its moisture by means of devices andprocesses which form the subject-matter of other applications, is drawnthrough the compound in such a manner as to saturate the fibrous coatingof the wire, and to form a. substantial body of the composition thereon,and after the coating has become hard or sufliciently set it is wound upin coils or on reels in the usual manner.

In order -to effect a speedy drying of the coinpound after it is appliedto the wires, and to facilitate the further manipulation of the samewithout annoyance to the workmen, and to prevent the coils l'romadhering to each other in case the composition is too liquid, I may drawthe coated wire through a body of finelydisintegrated asbestos, mineralpaint, or other like and suitable material which will not harden orbecome brittle, and thus the wires will be so coated that they will notbe so readily affected by heat or moisture, and may color to give a fineappearance suitable to the color of the wall to which it may besuspended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The compound hereindescribed for insulating telegraph and other electrical wires, the sameconsisting in the liquid distillates of petroleum, such as described,combined with resinous or bituminous substances, and with clay, chalk,pulp, or other suitable material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 29th day of August, 1882.

RICHARD S. WARlNG.

Witnesses:

B. F. MoRsELL, O. E. DUFi Y.

